Massena teen dies when car hits pole

MASSENA — Robert W. Rochefort, 17, of 43 Martin St., died late Tuesday afternoon in a one-car accident at Route 37 and East Orvis Street.

State police said Mr. Rochefort, a wrestler on the Massena Central High School varsity team, was westbound on Route 37 shortly after 5 p.m. when his vehicle left the right side of the roadway and struck a utility pole on the driver's side.

St. Lawrence County Coroner Philip E. Brown responded to the accident scene.

A second youth was a passenger in the vehicle, but troopers said they had no information to release about him Tuesday night. He reportedly was another member of the school wrestling team. Troopers said Tuesday night they weren't releasing the passenger's name pending notification of his family.

Troopers said the cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Grief counselors will be on hand at the high school starting today to help students deal with the loss of their classmate.

Superintendent Roger B. Clough II said he will meet with counselors, high school Principal Alan C. Oliver and Assistant Principal Patrick J. Farrand at 6:30 a.m. today, followed by a faculty meeting at 7 a.m.

"After that we'll have counselors available 24/7 to the wake and funeral and go from there," Mr. Clough said.

A grieving unit from Hospice and Palliative Care of St. Lawrence Valley also will be available to talk with students, he said.

Mr. Clough said Mr. Rochefort was a senior who would have graduated this year.

"I had him at Nightengale," said Mr. Clough, a former principal at Nightengale Elementary School. "I graduated with his parents. I knew him well."

He was informed of the death Tuesday night and said it would be difficult for everyone who knew Mr. Rochefort.

"You think of the parents, the family. It's devastating. I feel horrible for their loss and our student body's loss," Mr. Clough said.

Massena Rescue and Massena Fire assisted at the accident scene.